Telangana’s Ajay Kumar becomes first artist with officially launched artwork in orbit

Warangal micro artist Ajay Kumar Mattewada has etched his name in history as the first artist whose work has been officially launched into space. His miniature sculptures of CV Raman, Vikram Sarabhai and APJ Abdul Kalam, crafted inside the eye of a needle, were carried aboard Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket.

Warangal: As the nation celebrated the successful launch of Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket and the release of payloads into low earth orbit on Saturday, it is also a true ‘red letter day’ for Warangal’s micro artist Ajay Kumar Mattewada.

While the Vikram-1’s success made India the third nation with private rocket launch capabilities after the US and China, it enabled Ajay Kumar achieve a remarkable record as he has become the first artist in the world whose artwork has officially been launched into space.

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One of the payloads Vikram-1 carried was miniature sculptures of India’s legendary scientists Dr. CV Raman, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam sculpted in the eye of a sewing needle and mounted inside a miniature rocket model made of 18-karat gold.

According to several international science magazines Moon Museum (1969) and Fallen Astronaut (1971) were the artworks placed on the moon by the crew of US’ Apollo 12 and 15 missions respectively, albeit secretly.

Moon Museum conceived of by artist Forrest Myers consists of drawings by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Novros, Claes Oldenburg, John Chamberlain as well as Myers inscribed on a small ceramic chip covertly affixed to the leg of the lunar lander without NASA’s consent. It was left on the moon where it has remained without much fanfare ever since.

Similarly, Fallen Astronaut, a 3.5-inch aluminium figurine of an astronaut in a spacesuit designed by artist Paul Van Hoeydonck of Belgium was left on the moon covertly along with a small engraved plaque, listing fourteen names of astronauts who died in the effort to reach space.

The world knew about the presence of Moon Museum and Fallen Astronaut on the moon much later after both the Apollo missions were completed; whereas Ajay Kumar’s artwork was officially approved by the launching agency; was announced prior to its launch into space and gained a wide publicity.

This distinction makes his micro sculpture that measures approximately 800 microns (0.8 millimetres) to be the first artwork in the world to officially go into space and orbit the earth.

“It was really an amazing feeling to see Vikram-1 carrying my artwork into space. It is the culmination of my decades of artistic efforts,’ Ajay Kumar, who witnessed the historic launch in person along with his family members, told Telangana Today.

He thanked the Co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace Pawan Kumar Chandana, Naga Bharath Daka, Nikhil Madduri and Dr. CVS Kiran for believing in his artistic vision and achieving the incredible record.